This invention provides a new and improved aircraft lift system for vertical take off and horizontal flight. More importantly, the stability, safety and efficiency are significantly improved. All of which will lead to a revolutionary means of air travel.
Presently, helicopters are the most common vertical lift aircraft. They generally employ a single main rotor with a torque-compensating propeller on a boom at the rear of the helicopter body. The body of the helicopter is located below the main rotor and is connected to the rotor system by an engine and transmission assembly, which drives the rotor. This configuration creates a great deal of torque, which has been partially compensated by the rear rotor. However, due to the dynamics of the aircraft speed, wind velocity and the rate of climb, the torque affect is never completely resolved. Consequently, the helicopter is a very unstable aircraft with a corresponding low safety factor.
In addition, the rotor blades, generally between two and five in number, are long and heavy, and are connected to a single rotor hub, resulting in the rotor hub being heavily stressed and unstable. Damage to one of the rotor blades can create imbalances, which can destroy the entire rotor system. Normal vibrations are also very difficult to dampen. The rotor blades, being free at one end, are easily damaged upon impact. The torque-compensating propeller, located on the tail of the body, consumes a significant amount of engine power and adds to the overall weight.
This configuration does not lend itself to horizontal flight. The long rotating blades and the large frontal image, all contribute to excessive drag, thus decreasing efficiency and increasing instability. In addition, the weight of the engine, transmission and fuel, further decreases the efficiency and increases the instability of the aircraft.
The Marine Corp is currently supporting the development of a Tilt-Rotor type of aircraft, which is a combination of the helicopter and the airplane. Rotor blades are positioned at the tip of each wing to provide lift during takeoff and rotated 90 degrees for normal flight. For this system to work, the blade tilting on each wing must be precisely synchronized to prevent a rolling effect. Due to uncontrolled conditions, such as wind velocity, rate of climb and load distribution this aircraft has yet to be proven airworthy, even after decades of research. To date, many problems of stability have occurred, bringing into question its possible airworthiness. In addition the weight of the power plant, transmission and fuel, severally restricts the payload capacity and range of this aircraft.
The above discussion points out the problems and deficiencies of current design for vertical lift aircraft. The aircraft design is focused around the power available from the reciprocating engine and the jet engine. This configuration has been carried over into the design of unmanned aircraft, posing flight control problems as well as limitations on the stealth ability and the size of the aircraft. The weight of the power plant, transmission and fuel must to be overcome before any payload weight is added. Then again for each pound of payload, a corresponding increase in the power plant, transmission and fuel is necessary. Add to this is the need to increase the size and weight of the aircraft structure to house the power plant, fuel storage and payload. The resulting aircraft package becomes ever more weighty, expensive and unstable. In the case of the airplane, we incur an additional expense to provide for increasing the take-off and landing space. In general, the helicopter is excessively heavy; due to the weight of the engine, transmission and fuel; and very unstable due to the inability to completely resolve the torque effect.
These limitations have been recognized, and with the present invention a new and revolutionary concept for aircraft lift and propulsion is available. One that has drastically reduced the overall weight of the aircraft and has also overcome the serious affect torque has upon aircraft operation safety and stability. By drastically reducing the weight of the power plant and fuel, and eliminating any torque effect, we can use an entirely new approach to aircraft design. A design, which is very stable in flight; i.e. has a high safety factor; is very quiet, easy to operate and has vertical-lift and horizontal flight capability.
The concept of the instant invention is based upon recently developed technologies in high power, lightweight, electromagnetic motors, lightweight batteries and a lightweight high capacity generator. This combination has provided the means to change entirely the aircraft structure and to drastically reduce the weight of the aircraft. The resulting aircraft package offers greater efficiency in fuel consumption, thereby lowering the cost of operation, a significant improvement in operating stability; i.e. no torque effect; and is very quiet due to an all-electric implementation. The major benefit of this configuration is stability in flight, which means easier handling characteristics and a considerable improvement in the safety factor.
The basic concept of the instant invention is taken from the helicopter, in that the rotor blades of the helicopter act much like the wing of an airplane. The present invention has taken this same principle, and instead of a rotor, spinning overhead, counter-rotating lift blades, surrounding the main body of the aircraft, provide the means for take off and flight. Two counter-rotating drive rings drive the lift blades, which are shaped much like an aircraft wing. Electromagnetic motors supply the power to spin the lift blade drive rings at high speeds, providing the lift for take-off and horizontal flight. By varying the current to the electromagnetic motors, the speed of the rotating blades can be regulated. The forward motion and steering function is achieved by the use of directional guide flaps mounted under the periphery of the aircraft and adjacent to the lift blades. These flaps will deflect the air from the rotating blades to cause either a turning action or to propel the aircraft forward. With the flaps extended, the aircraft will lift vertically, or allow the craft to settle in for a landing.
A high-energy lightweight battery has been recently developed to provide the power to drive the electromagnetic motors. When additional payload and range requirements are needed, a lightweight fuel cell or generator are available as options. The aircraft configuration can vary according to mission requirements. For short-range reconnaissance missions, the battery will suffice to power the aircraft and keep the noise level down to a whisper. For greater payloads and extended flight, the electromagnetic motors can be increased in size or number of units. Also, an on board generator, fuel cell, or micro-turbine are available to provide for additional generator capacity. With this configuration, the battery gets a boost during lift off and is re-generated during flight, thereby providing an additional safety factor for landing. This combination of high power to weight ratio provides the efficiency and safety to enable the aircraft to lift vertically, cruise, and hover for extended periods of time.
Additionally, an external thrust unit or motorized ducted fan unit can be added. Several options are available, such as a jet engine, a micro-turbine, or a ducted fan unit driven by either an electric motor, or a gas or diesel powered engine.
The electromagnetic motors are housed within the lift assembly housing. Magnets, embedded within the inner and outer lift assembly drive rings, interact with the electromagnetic motors to propel the attached lift blades in a counter-rotating motion, resulting in aircraft lift. The electromagnetic motors are battery powered and may be re-generated with an on-board generator. The aircraft can be powered solely by battery or with a hybrid battery generator, and/or fuel cell. Additionally, the forward motion can be powered with just the battery, by a jet engine, a gas, diesel or electric motor ducted fan unit, or a micro-turbine.
Control of the angle of flight and the steering function is achieved by the use of directional guide flaps mounted under the periphery of the aircraft and adjacent to the lift blades. The flaps are independently controlled to provide complete control of the aircraft during vertical lift and horizontal flight. Air moving downward from the rotating lift blades, and deflected by the directional guide flaps will cause the aircraft to turn, lift, or to propel the aircraft forward. With the flaps extended, the aircraft will climb vertically, when power is applied, or descend when power is decreased allowing the craft to settle in for a landing.
The central body compartment is the load-carrying unit and contains the battery, and/or generator, fuel cell, or micro-turbine, flight control mechanisms and other payload items as determined by the mission requirements. The body is attached to the lift assembly housing by means of tubular attachment support members. These tubular attachment members are also used to carry motor control cabling, electrical wiring, flight control cabling and other control mechanisms.